Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Monsters of the Wasteland
A fair amount of time passed.
After hearing the full sequence of events, my two companions calmly organized the situation.
“So you saw the future of our world through a game in another world.”
“And then you ended up possessing a body here by chance?”
At their words, I nodded.
“That’s right. I didn’t even know this world existed, and I don’t know why I ended up here either. I’ve been trying to find a way to fix it.”
“Good grief. First time in my life hearing something like this. An otherworlder, huh?”
“I’ve heard that people sometimes cross over through dimensional rifts in the continent’s hidden realms, but I never imagined possession was possible too.”
[That’s what makes the world interesting. No matter how much you learn, there’s always something new you don’t know.]
At Sorbian’s chuckling voice, I nodded absentmindedly.
Who would’ve thought I’d end up possessing the body of a game protagonist?
If there had been any warning signs, maybe I could’ve prepared.
But I just woke up as Teo one day, everything unfamiliar and strange.
Without Teo’s memories, I probably would’ve been struggling in the atelier even now.
Recovering from the shock, Clovis nudged me playfully with his elbow.
“So I’m your first connection after possession?”
“Be honored. You’re standing next to someone who’ll become a great alchemist.”
“Heh. Guess I’ve got good instincts.”
He seemed to accept it without much issue.
Well, from their perspective, nothing about our relationship had actually changed midstream, so there was no reason to react dramatically.
At most, it was curiosity.
Sorbian floated in the air, sitting cross-legged as she looked at me.
[So, from your eyes that saw the future, how does the current situation look?]
“I don’t know everything.”
[I know. The future is a collection of variables, endless possibilities. But judging from how decisively you act, you must’ve seen something fairly accurate. So? Your thoughts?]
“You’re pretty much screwed.”
[Hahahaha! Of course I am! Completely screwed!]
She burst into laughter.
Even clapping as she laughed, she pointed toward the heavily sealed door.
[Inside that door is a monster that existed during the Great Cataclysm. Not the highest class, but it mutated into a special type. Nasty opponent.]
“And it’s been in hibernation for 500 years, severely weakened.”
[Why do you think I lost to it?]
“It used emergency energy to briefly recover. Then it exhausted that energy and weakened again.”
[So what are your odds of beating it?]
“35.38%.”
[Not bad.]
She grinned.
I shrugged lightly.
The confusion had settled. It was time to deal with what was inside.
“I’d like to subjugate it. Can you help?”
[You saw the future. You should know my condition.]
“I do. You anchored your soul to the material world using a relic as a medium. And you’re using all your remaining strength just to prevent the monster from absorbing your body.”
An albedo-class alchemist’s corpse would be a feast for a monster.
If it absorbed her, it would grow exponentially.
So she had been spending everything just to prevent that.
But she wasn’t completely useless.
There were things here that didn’t exist in the game.
I gestured, summoning my spirits.
Sorbian’s eyes lit up with interest.
[Oh? An unfamiliar form of spirit.]
“They’re entities I created.”
[A different world’s soul arts… fascinating.]
I sent the spirits toward her.
She immediately traced formation circles around them.
As her energy enveloped them, the spirits widened their eyes and flailed as their power surged.
Sorbian nodded in satisfaction.
[This should be enough support.]
“Thanks for the enhancement.”
[I’ll reinforce them whenever they weaken.]
With that settled, I began dismantling the sealed door.
The complex formation shifted under my manipulation.
If left alone, the monster would eventually send out a signal, attracting others through spatial distortions.
‘So it was really here.’
Normally this required full preparation.
But I didn’t have that luxury.
The heavy stone door finally opened with a grinding sound.
We moved in formation: Clovis in front, golems behind, and me with Cecilia at the rear.
Inside, the chamber was in ruins.
In the center lay a black egg.
No—something that only resembled an egg.
It pulsed like a heartbeat.
The moment it sensed us, it stopped moving.
Then—
Crack.
The surface split open.
A viscous black fluid oozed out, and something slithered forth.
“Now! Strike first—win first!”
“Stop shouting nonsense like that!”
Cecilia snapped back, but the fight had already begun.
I pulled combat potions from my belt and threw them.
Glass shattered.
Seeds exploded outward, turning into binding vines.
A restraint potion designed to immobilize targets.
But the creature was mostly liquid.
Still, it was enough.
“Fireball!”
Cecilia launched her spell.
Even as a frost specialist, she had learned multiple attributes as a Wasteland explorer.
A blazing fireball tore through the vines and detonated.
Flames engulfed the creature.
“Kiieeeee!”
It screeched as it writhed in the fire.
Fire was its early weakness.
But that was only the opening move.
It twisted violently, extinguishing the flames.
A harsh metallic screech echoed.
It was angry.
Clovis smirked.
“Yeah, that reaction makes sense.”
“Anyone would get mad if set on fire immediately.”
“Isn’t it unfair to apply human standards to it?”
“That’s species discrimination.”
While they bickered, I formed my spirits into blades and launched them.
Clovis dashed forward behind them.
The blades struck—
But the monster’s body split open, deflecting them.
A feint.
Clovis was the real attack.
“Hyah!”
His twin blades flashed.
Even so, the creature dodged—vanishing from the spot entirely.
“Teo! Behind you!”
“I know!”
I had already expected it.
It would target the weakest.
That’s why I hadn’t deployed the Atar Knights yet.
“Don’t underestimate it.”
BOOOOM!
The Atar Knights descended.
Massive weapons slammed into the monster mid-teleport.
It was sent flying.
“Tch. Fast reaction.”
But it wasn’t dead.
It hardened its body mid-air, reducing damage.
Then—
Its form shifted.
A humanoid shape.
Not truly human, but mimicking one.
“Be careful. It’s adapted.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve fought monsters before.”
“Treating special types like normal ones will get you killed.”
“Heh, how much stronger can it be—KUH?!”
Clovis was kicked mid-sentence.
He flew backward, barely blocking with aura.
Cecilia sighed.
“That idiot…”
“Yeah… you only understand after getting hit.”
The real fight had begun.
I pulled another potion from my belt.
No more exploration.
Now it was combat time.